Is Intermittent Fasting DANGEROUS for Women?! (The SHOCKING Effect on Hormones & Fertility)

Hey everyone I’m Abbey Sharp welcome to Abbey’s Kitchen. In todays video, we will be talking about the impact that intermittent fasting can have on a woman's body.

NOW Foods, Ultra Omega 3-D, 600 EPA / 300 DHA, 180 Fish Softgels

PEScience, Vegan Series, Select Protein, Peanut Butter Delight, 29.5 oz (837 g)

Source Naturals, Sleep Science, NutraSpray Melatonin, Orange Flavor, 1.5 mg, 2 fl oz (59.14 ml)

California Gold Nutrition, Prebiotic Fiber, 6.3 oz (180 g)

California Gold Nutrition, Vitamin D3, 50 mcg (2,000 IU), 360 Fish Gelatin Softgels

Thank you to Eric Williamson and Abby Courtenay for their contribution to this video!

Eric Williamson, RD

Abby Courtenay @abbythedietitian

A FEW DISCLAIMERS

1) The information in this video is for education and entertainment purposes only, so you should always speak to a health care provider about your unique health needs.

2) Please use this video (as with all of my review videos) as educational, not as unique recommendations.

3) Please be kind in the comments.

4) Trigger warning to those with disordered eating tendencies.

5) Don’t forget to subscribe to this channel and ring the little bell so you never miss out!

RESEARCH LINKS

Follow me on Instagram and TikTok! @abbeyskitchen

Check out my new MERCH line in support of Sick Kids Hospital

Anorexia & Restrictive Dieting Freedom Ecourse
(Use promo code Abbey20 for 20% off)

Some important links:

If you liked this video, please leave me a comment below with your thoughts and let me know who you want me to review next!

With Science & Sass,

Xoxo Abbey

[sukienukie]

It’s also worth noting that most studies that have shown fasting to be safe have actually only been conducted on groups of young, healthy males and NOT women.

[jasonhsu]

I practice intermittent fasting. I don't eat during the hours I sleep. :)

[mnmom]

I was overweight my entire life. I am a woman. I did IF for the past year and a half and I lost 130 pounds and I am officially no longer overweight. I am in my early 40’s so I am at a point where my cycle may start changing because of age. That being said, I have not suffered any abnormal cycle side affects. I do a 16/8 fast and at a point where I am just maintaining. My BP and labs are perfect. This is just my experience. This fasting is the only thing that ever worked for me.

[yanicasacksteder]

I've been doing a non extreme form of IF. My eating hours are between 8am and 5pm. I do not restrict any food groups, I eat mostly healthy, still get some treats, and lost my 15 pounds of pandemic weight (at a rate of 1 to 2 pounds a week). This has helped me form better habits, made my digestive system happier, and I appreciate my meals more!

[noenergybunny]

As someone who lost her period for a year before, and fallen victim to the purist keto and IF side of the internet, this video is a real breath of fresh air.
I would also like to know about the effects of IF for menopausal or postmenopausal women, as they seem to be targeted a lot by IF promoters. My mom is in that boat as well and swears by IF, and I hope there's not too much risk to it.

[elizabethmoscoso]

I’m a peer mentor and work with ED recovery warriors and have experience recovering from an ED myself. Your videos came up this week in conversation with a patient and I’m so glad your content is available for those trying to unlearn diet culture and recover from EDs! Thank you!

[laurieharasti]

Not everyone is doing intermittent fasting for weight loss. I am doing it for cellular healing, mental health, mental clarity, happiness. I am not overweight. I F has changed my life for the better and too many ways to list here. It is not for everybody, but for those of us that it works, for it is like a miracle. In addition, you save a lot of money on food. In a sense, I wish I could eat 3 to 6 small meals, a day, but I know myself, and that would not work for me because once I start eating, all I want to do is eat. I have tried this in the past, and then all I do all day is think about food. I don’t do that with a F, because I know that I’m in my fasting window. I am so glad that Abbey’s work works for a lot of people.

[summerraine]

I have struggled with bulimia, and while I understand that IF works for some....I could never imagine doing it. It would be SO triggering. I sincerely wish there was more conversation about this, because I know so many people have disordered eating and disguise it as IF.

[anasoares]

IF made my period cramps disappear. I have upper stomach endometriosis and PCOS and the pain used to be so bad I couldn't stay still at times. My periods are also not as heavy anymore and are very regular. It's been life changing for me. I suspect insulin resistance was the culprit.

[girllittlemorbid]

I appreciate you addressing the fact that some of us don't care about fertility. Seems like it's always a given that we eventually want to get pregnant.

[kimhuongtran]

Coming out of anorexia, I learn that no one can outsmart our body. It is amazing and would fight for survival no matter how controlling you think you are over it. I first started increasing my portion a bit, but soon experienced extreme hunger because I was deprived for so long and my entire hormonal system was messed up (I lost my period and loads of hair and my joints sore badly, HA can lead to osteoporosis). I recall a period of true struggle because I ate so much to the point where I was about to pop, I was scared and confused whether I was developing another ED aka binge disorder, or whether that was just a natural reaction of my body to refeed itself. I found this channel, read books and educate myself on HA, extreme hunger... and pushed myself reallyyyy hard to never restrict or compensate for the "overeating". I was determined never to fall back into the vicious cycle of binge - guilty - restrict - starve - binge -..., so I tried to convince myself that it was OK, allowed myself to eat to satiety unconditionally in a hope that tomorrow, or next week, or next month, my hormone would regulate and all this extreme hunger would wear off. As I ate more regularly, ate when my body wanted to even at excessive amount, it started to trust me that I wouldn't starve it, so the urge to devour everything like the "last supper" quiet down. I was hopeful and so lucky me I got my period back just last month. I felt soooo alive, and strangely, since I got my menstruation back, I notice I don't overeat anymore. During extreme hunger I could eat highly-processed food and snack nonstop but now I can eat regular meals with moderate amount of snack without obsessing over them all day. My energy is also replenished and I feel so much happier and productive in work, exercising and socializing. Is this what food freedom feels like? Is this the magic that hormonal balance brings to your body? I am grateful to finally get here and regret not appreciating my body enough back in the day. I thank it for giving me a chance and I will not fail it again.

[ren]

IF helped me actually regain my health, lose baby weight and trauma-stress weight, get over disordered mindless eating, feel comfortable to be on the go without needing to waste time digesting for very long AND lowered my insulin resistance that came from eating 5 small meals a day - I now eat twice a day breaking my fast and before the end of my window. I personally find IF the best most free solution to many many problems.

[priscilabee]

IF doesn’t have to mean skipping meals. I have breakfast at 8am, lunch at 12am and dinner at 5pm. It works for me as I hate the sensation of going to bed in a full stomach.

[TheTruthHurts]

I normally eat sometime between 7:30 am and 6 pm, so about 9-10 hours. I've never called it IF or a diet. It's just how I was raised. My dad used to be general in Vietnam military. Sometimes I just eat when I'm hungry so that means maybe waking up late and having "breakfast" at 12 pm, skipping lunch, and finishing off dinner at 6 pm so within 6 hours. I've never lost my period. The only time I lost my period was when I went vegan for three months ☺️ 😅. I don't understand the obsession with eating 3 square meals a day plus snacks in between unless you have some type of health condition (physical or mental). I honestly believe society is so food focused. My grandparents lived through wars and famine, eat when they can, focus on other issues in their life. They are pretty healthy in their late 90s, approaching 100 soon. I compare them to my mom, the single person who eats throughout the day, grazing with meals, very food focus, eating typical American type of processed foods. She's also the only one in the family with diabetes, heart disease and history of cancer. I think that should be the main issue talked about.

[reneearnold]

I would love to see you address ways to eat when you’re close to menopause and in the midst of late stage perimenopause. I feel that there has been a lot of talk about increasing one’s protein intake, but find it hard to get it all in without supplementing with a protein powder. I personally don’t like to have to rely on protein powder and would rather eat real foods to get my protein intake. I hear that dairy isn’t good for you, but cottage cheese and Greek yogurt can really help me get closer to 30 grams at each meal. Uff So many questions, so little time. Plus, your research on this will help you in the future!!! 😉❤️

[juniperfj]

Hi Abbey! I would love to see you discuss the other (purported) benefits of intermittent fasting beyond weight loss. I've heard that it supports longer lifespans and fights cognitive decline, which would be great if true.

I also LOVE the videos you do about "fear foods" and I'd definitely watch more of those!

[frankquinn]

As usual, a thought-provoking video. Knowing how open-minded Abbey is I am sure she will welcome the following observations (especially from someone who would fall outside the target audience) :
1. IF is used as a lifestyle choice by some who don’t see it exclusively through the prism of weight loss (although I appreciate that the video is looking particularly at its potential effect on female hormones and reproductive health)
2. One of the studies cited was based on a 72hr fasting window, something that would not be representative of the vast majority of people who use intermittent fasting.
3. It might’ve useful to mention the role of weight bearing exercise /resistance training to offset the decrease in bone density from mid 30s onwards.
4. Assuming someone is lucky enough to get 8hrs sleep a night, a 12hr fasting window only involves being awake for 4 fasting hours so not really that extreme!
5. In the interest of balance, some passing references to the potential benefits of IF e.g. autophagy (as detailed by people like Dr David Sinclair, Dr Rhona Patrick and Dr Peter Attia) would help to round out the picture.

As Abbey rightly points out, this is a complicated topic. IF is not a “diet” that suits everyone (If we eat we have a “diet” in the sense of it referring to how we regulate (or not) our food intake).

Keep up the good work Abbey!

[wilmarysrodriguez]

This video is so helpful! I once tried intermittent fasting to lose weight but I started getting irregular periods and feeling tired ALL THE TIME. I got really worried, so I stopped and got back to my regular eating habits. It was until recently that I learned that these types of "diets" can be seriously bad on some people. Thanks for sharing your knowledge 🙏🏼💕

[farinaaranguren]

I’ve been doing 16:8 IF for almost a year and it changed my life for good. I don’t do keto, I simply try to have a balance diet during my eating window, including treats now and then. I used to have lots of digestive issues and they have dramatically reduced since I started IF. The first month was hard, but then my body got used to it and I’m very glad I didn’t quit just because it was hard at first. It changed my relationship with hunger; I’m no longer my hunger’s bitch. I used to get so irritable if I didn’t eat at a certain hour of the day, now my body is used to using my own fat for fuel, so I can skip a meal without getting cranky or feeling weak. I rarely have cravings for snacks now, and when I do, I allow myself to have whatever I’m craving, with moderation. But, most days I don’t snack, simply because my body doesn’t want it. My periods are regular. I’m not saying IF is a magic tool, but it does help, a lot.

[LuckyLily]

Thank you Abby for educating young girls online not to fall for any trend that pops up. I wish I watched you when I was younger, unfortunately damage is already done but I'd appreciate more videos on diet and fertility. 🙏🏻🙏🏻